Choice of drag racing tires?
- Thread starter driller
- Start date
RE: Choice of drag racing tires?
I voted for the BFG drag radials but they're the only ones I've had experiance with. I loved them as long as it wasn't raining. They stuck like glue and I regularly had 2.0 60' times. I ran them for over a year and put about 15K miles on them. Of course the shallow tread was gone way before I swaped the stock Michelins back on. I prefer the car to squat and go rather then fishtail, smoke and scream.
I voted for the BFG drag radials but they're the only ones I've had experiance with. I loved them as long as it wasn't raining. They stuck like glue and I regularly had 2.0 60' times. I ran them for over a year and put about 15K miles on them. Of course the shallow tread was gone way before I swaped the stock Michelins back on. I prefer the car to squat and go rather then fishtail, smoke and scream.
BlackIceLSC
Registered
RE: Choice of drag racing tires?
6 of one, 1/2 dozen of the other. They'll all hook up well...the key is consistency, and tread life
My vote/advice is for: M/T et drag radials:
here's why:
they LOVE heavy cars. period. many of today's "street cars" have the ability to adjust rear chassis "hits" off the line, thus making a true drag ET (DOT approved) tire an easy option, since they have a bias-ply side wall effect. But on a radial, there is a unique difference.
The drag-radial was designed to use the sidewall as part of it's adhesion ...translation?- side wall becomes like a load-levelling(not so much "weight" but "weight transfered force), progressive spring. the harder the hit, the softer the rebound. This keeps the footprint on the ground. a true slick likes to be bitch-slapped by the suspension, and in turn, the rear wheel, AFTER weight transfer...taking the sidewall OUT of the equation. In otherwords, on a true slick(floatation size, 29.5 x 10.5-16) uses the footprint for 100% of its traction, and causing the car's suspension to be the only factor in how the slick's footprint hits the ground, and generates traction.
a drag radial was designed to use the sidewall of the tire(like a street tire). This is also why you dont get "wind up"
ok, in english:
radial tires use the sidewall as part of the adhesion. This is true on your towncar, truck, and Mark VIII. The sidewall is designed to make the best use of the tread in all driving conditions. However, radial tires have "siping' in them, to promote traction, cool the tire, and dissipate water/snow/ mud. But on the drag strip, none of the above is needed...all you care about is traction. so, no siping is needed. But you still need the tire to 'stick'. To make the tire DOT legal, they had to cut some siping into it. This siping isnt necessarily for "water", but more to keep the tire's temps down as much as possible.
in simpler english:
the M/T tires respond well to a heavier car, that doesnt utilize devices such as trac-bars, ladder bars, "cal-tracs", drag shocks, weight jacks, ballast movers, etc. They work very well on cars like old Muscle cars that cannot have modified suspension for class racing(super stock, pro-10inch, stock eliminator, SS/A, B C, etc.) Those classes may require the use of a non-bias ply, radial tire. Therefore, the DOT drag radial was designed. Nothing worse than having a Hemi GTX that gets its ass handed to it by a Dart because it couldnt hook up on street tires no matter HOW big/wide they were.
The BFG drag radial is good for like Mustangs, Cobra's, Camaro's, etc...cars that are light, and can use traction devices.(ever seen the amount of aftermarket crap they sell for Mustangs/Camaro/Firebird rear suspension?)
Keep in mind, in a street application, the weakest part of the "traction" equation, or "hooking up", is the tires. They will "break loose" before anything. Once you get them to hook, the driveline will be forced to take more punishment. Keep an eye on your driveline, mounts,(trans/engine/differential), axles, lug studs, etc.
If it were my, I'd buy the M/T drag radials...follow the recommended "break in" proceedure for curing them(longer life). also, the M/T's seem to favor higher air pressures than BFG/NITTO, etc. This is a good thing. You dont have to worry about the "wiggles" up top with more air pressure in the rear hides. For example, the BFG may require 12 psi to "hook up" well. But driving 100 mph on a radial tire with 12 psi isnt exactly a 'smooth, effortless" ride. The more air you can carry, the lower the top end "drag" on the car, and the easier it is to keep it straight. M/T's allow you to run 2-3 more PSI in them, and still hook up well.
This is my educated, and experienced reply. You asked me something because of my track experience...i also have "tire" knowledge.
7+ years selling tires
17+ years of drag racing/slicks/chassis experience
15 years Ford/Mustang chassis experience
2+ years of modifying Mark VIII/T-Bird suspension.
your set up =
heavy car, wide ratio tranny, experienced drag racer....therefore, you need M/T drag radials.
drive them on the street as little as possible. This means even when you first get them...you want them on a strip, not on a street. The agressive roads will cause the oils to dry up from sidewall distortion/flex. This can/will cause inconsistencies in launch/traction.
I hope I didnt confuse you.
take a look at the picture below. Notice how the sidewall has 4 solid wrinkles in it(from wheel to tread). This is to show you how the sidewall plays little/no difference in a typical drag SLICK:
http://www.markviii.org/~firenice/wheelsup.JPG
now look closely at the rear tire in this shot. see how the tread is 'walking over" itself? That is as close to "tire shake" as you can get. The psi in these tires was absolutely PERFECT for this pass(hence our wheel stand!).
http://www.markviii.org/~firenice/wheelsup1.JPG
the drag radial DOES use the sidewall so you can
a)drive it like a street car-safely
b)use the radial sidewall like an active part of the rear suspension during launch
c)go around corners
d)run more PSI for safer driving at the top end
e)my favorite-got it in the size you need, and have it fit!
6 of one, 1/2 dozen of the other. They'll all hook up well...the key is consistency, and tread life
My vote/advice is for: M/T et drag radials:
here's why:
they LOVE heavy cars. period. many of today's "street cars" have the ability to adjust rear chassis "hits" off the line, thus making a true drag ET (DOT approved) tire an easy option, since they have a bias-ply side wall effect. But on a radial, there is a unique difference.
The drag-radial was designed to use the sidewall as part of it's adhesion ...translation?- side wall becomes like a load-levelling(not so much "weight" but "weight transfered force), progressive spring. the harder the hit, the softer the rebound. This keeps the footprint on the ground. a true slick likes to be bitch-slapped by the suspension, and in turn, the rear wheel, AFTER weight transfer...taking the sidewall OUT of the equation. In otherwords, on a true slick(floatation size, 29.5 x 10.5-16) uses the footprint for 100% of its traction, and causing the car's suspension to be the only factor in how the slick's footprint hits the ground, and generates traction.
a drag radial was designed to use the sidewall of the tire(like a street tire). This is also why you dont get "wind up"
ok, in english:
radial tires use the sidewall as part of the adhesion. This is true on your towncar, truck, and Mark VIII. The sidewall is designed to make the best use of the tread in all driving conditions. However, radial tires have "siping' in them, to promote traction, cool the tire, and dissipate water/snow/ mud. But on the drag strip, none of the above is needed...all you care about is traction. so, no siping is needed. But you still need the tire to 'stick'. To make the tire DOT legal, they had to cut some siping into it. This siping isnt necessarily for "water", but more to keep the tire's temps down as much as possible.
in simpler english:
the M/T tires respond well to a heavier car, that doesnt utilize devices such as trac-bars, ladder bars, "cal-tracs", drag shocks, weight jacks, ballast movers, etc. They work very well on cars like old Muscle cars that cannot have modified suspension for class racing(super stock, pro-10inch, stock eliminator, SS/A, B C, etc.) Those classes may require the use of a non-bias ply, radial tire. Therefore, the DOT drag radial was designed. Nothing worse than having a Hemi GTX that gets its ass handed to it by a Dart because it couldnt hook up on street tires no matter HOW big/wide they were.
The BFG drag radial is good for like Mustangs, Cobra's, Camaro's, etc...cars that are light, and can use traction devices.(ever seen the amount of aftermarket crap they sell for Mustangs/Camaro/Firebird rear suspension?)
Keep in mind, in a street application, the weakest part of the "traction" equation, or "hooking up", is the tires. They will "break loose" before anything. Once you get them to hook, the driveline will be forced to take more punishment. Keep an eye on your driveline, mounts,(trans/engine/differential), axles, lug studs, etc.
If it were my, I'd buy the M/T drag radials...follow the recommended "break in" proceedure for curing them(longer life). also, the M/T's seem to favor higher air pressures than BFG/NITTO, etc. This is a good thing. You dont have to worry about the "wiggles" up top with more air pressure in the rear hides. For example, the BFG may require 12 psi to "hook up" well. But driving 100 mph on a radial tire with 12 psi isnt exactly a 'smooth, effortless" ride. The more air you can carry, the lower the top end "drag" on the car, and the easier it is to keep it straight. M/T's allow you to run 2-3 more PSI in them, and still hook up well.
This is my educated, and experienced reply. You asked me something because of my track experience...i also have "tire" knowledge.
7+ years selling tires
17+ years of drag racing/slicks/chassis experience
15 years Ford/Mustang chassis experience
2+ years of modifying Mark VIII/T-Bird suspension.
your set up =
heavy car, wide ratio tranny, experienced drag racer....therefore, you need M/T drag radials.
drive them on the street as little as possible. This means even when you first get them...you want them on a strip, not on a street. The agressive roads will cause the oils to dry up from sidewall distortion/flex. This can/will cause inconsistencies in launch/traction.
I hope I didnt confuse you.
take a look at the picture below. Notice how the sidewall has 4 solid wrinkles in it(from wheel to tread). This is to show you how the sidewall plays little/no difference in a typical drag SLICK:
http://www.markviii.org/~firenice/wheelsup.JPG
now look closely at the rear tire in this shot. see how the tread is 'walking over" itself? That is as close to "tire shake" as you can get. The psi in these tires was absolutely PERFECT for this pass(hence our wheel stand!).
http://www.markviii.org/~firenice/wheelsup1.JPG
the drag radial DOES use the sidewall so you can
a)drive it like a street car-safely
b)use the radial sidewall like an active part of the rear suspension during launch
c)go around corners
d)run more PSI for safer driving at the top end
e)my favorite-got it in the size you need, and have it fit!
Sierra3
Registered
RE: Choice of drag racing tires?
Thanks for taking the time and posting this. It helped me understand more. If i do the rim split on stock 20 spokes about an inch to make them really 9", Can i fit a set of MT ET Drags at 28x9x15 under the factory uncut wheel wells on a 1995 Mark 8 with no rubbing?
Thanks for taking the time and posting this. It helped me understand more. If i do the rim split on stock 20 spokes about an inch to make them really 9", Can i fit a set of MT ET Drags at 28x9x15 under the factory uncut wheel wells on a 1995 Mark 8 with no rubbing?